


a party kind of guy

by rocketsfindplanets (orphan_account)



Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Basketball, Costume Parties & Masquerades, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-27 06:13:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13242162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/rocketsfindplanets
Summary: “Just saw you were standing alone, and thought you might be able to use some company. Besides, I hardly have anything to do, here. I’m only here because my family insists.”Hm. Okay. Thanasi, too, Nick thinks, and maybe this guy isn’t too bad.





	a party kind of guy

**Author's Note:**

> An anon on Tumblr requested a tennis fic for prompt 34 on this ask meme, which was "meeting at a masquerade ball au." Here it is!

Nick is, without question, a party kind of guy. His teen years were full of sneaking out at nights to go drink with friends and do dumb things, as teenage boys do. So when Thanasi asks him to go to a fucking masquerade ball, his immediate thought is to say no.

But Thanasi is a party kind of guy, too, and he’s stuck with Nick through everything. Nick says yes, on the condition that Than is buying him clothes and a mask, and it’s a deal.

Sometimes, Nick really hates how rich the Kokkinakis family is, but sometimes it’s not too bad.

So Nick is at a masquerade ball, and Thanasi ditches him pretty much as soon as he’s through the door, and yeah, he hates how rich the Kokkinakis family is.

He’s not sure exactly what he had been expecting. Obviously Than’s parents want him to, like, socialise, and be their rich son, and do all of that normal being a rich son type of shit, but he still feels a little bit betrayed.

Nick decides to just sort of stand back and sip on some punch that isn’t even spiked, and watch things happen.

Growing up with Thanasi meant he was, more or less, used to this kind of stuff, but it was still weird every time. They played basketball together, and made dumb Vines together,  _ that _ sort of stuff. Going to these balls had never been in the plan, but here he was.

It kind of goes like this every time, if he thinks about it. Nick gets stuck being alone and awkward while Thanasi does his party, and Nick just kind of waits around until he’s done so that they can hang out. Sometimes he thinks Thanasi just drags him to these things for Nick’s own good. He can’t be fucking anything up too badly with a million rich people around.

“What brings you here today?”

Nick almost spits out his punch whenever a guy comes up and starts talking to him. That? That definitely does not happen every time.

“I’m, uh, friends with Thanasi,” he explains after a moment. “Thanasi Kokkinakis.”

The guy smiles, and it feels almost patronising. After all, he actually belongs here, and he’s probably rich, too, and this,  _ this _ is why Nick should have said no.

“I see. My name is Alexander Zverev, but you can call me Sascha if you’d like.”

And Nick would  _ not _ like to, and he has to bite his tongue before he says as much. “Well, nice to meet you. Nick Kyrgios.”

He’s pretty sure everybody in town knows the name Zverev, because they’re a pretty big name in real estate, and Nick really has no business talking to one of them.

Nick hesitates, maybe not for long enough, then asks, “Can I help you with something?”

It’s a lot more polite than he can be, and he makes a mental note to make Thanasi thank him for that later.

“Just saw you were standing alone, and thought you might be able to use some company. Besides, I hardly have anything to do, here. I’m only here because my family insists.”

Hm. Okay. Thanasi, too, Nick thinks, and maybe this guy isn’t too bad.

“Yeah. That sucks,” he says simply. He’s a lot better at talking after some alcohol, he decides.

Alexander nods, and then just looks at Nick, probably judging him. “Well, we could get out of here for a bit, if you’d like?” Nick doesn’t even have time to look appalled (or, perhaps, interested) before he asks, “Do you play ball?”

And yeah, this guy isn’t too bad at all.

“Fuck yes,” he says, before realising where they are and offering a sheepish smile.

Alexander smiles back and beckons for Nick to follow before heading toward the door. Nick scans his immediate surroundings for Thanasi, and when he doesn’t see him, follows.

Alexander Zverev has already more than piqued Nick’s curiosity. He’s  _ taller _ than Nick, for one. And he has nice hair. And it’s been a while since Nick’s had a nice hook-up, and maybe, just  _ maybe_. After he kicks his ass at basketball.

The Zverevs live nearby, because all of the rich people seem to do that, here, and before he knows it, he’s following Alexander to his fucking huge yard, which among many other things, has a beautiful court. Wow. He wonders if Thanasi will buy one, if he asks.

“You really own this,” Nick says, and Alexander laughs.

“I do.”

Alexander takes off his mask, and Nick follows suit, finally getting a full look at him. Yeah, he’s into it.

“Suits aren’t really ideal, but we can take it easy,” Alexander offers, and Nick nods. Sounds fair to him. Anything is better than standings around at a ball for another few hours, he figures.

They play, and it’s actually fun, and okay, Alexander is actually pretty good. Nick still wins, but he’s good.

When they’re done, and sitting inside to cool down a bit, Nick says, “You should come play with Thanasi and I sometime, he wouldn’t mind.”

Alexander nods thoughtfully. “Yeah, I could do that,” he agrees, and Nick smiles. “For now, we should probably be getting back, huh? Wouldn’t want to be missed.”

Nick wants to say no, but he doesn’t. “You’re right.”

“Here…” Alexander grabs his phone from him, and Nick watches as he adds a new contact. “Text me sometime.”

“For sure.” Nick slowly ties his mask back on, and watches Alexander do the same.

And then, it’s almost like it had never happened. They get back to Thanasi’s place, and Alexander wanders off to try to find his brother.

Before he does, though, he leans in close, grabbing Nick’s hand. “ _Text me_. I mean it.”

Nick watches him walk away, and sighs. The ball is dying down, and he knows it will be over in no time. So he goes back to standing back, and even gets another cup of punch, which still doesn’t taste very good.

Eventually, everybody is gone, and Nick is lounging on Thanasi’s bed, watching as he gets NBA 2K16 turned on. “Did you have fun?” Thanasi asks idly, more small talk than anything.

Nick grins. “Yeah, I did.”

Thanasi looks back incredulously, and raises an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“I’ll tell you later,” he says, and Thanasi just shrugs and grabs his two remotes.

(Nick texts Alexander. And when Thanasi asks him, the next week, about being his plus one to some big gala, he doesn’t even have to think before saying yes.)

**Author's Note:**

> first fic for these two not posted in the year 2017 lmao!! we have come a long way y'all
> 
> hmu on tumblr @ dontbreakmycarterhart (normally jacklisowski!!) or in the comments with questions, compliments, complaints, requests, whatever! thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed !!!!!! <3 <3


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